It was like Christmas in July at a special Burns Harbor Town Council meeting Wednesday where the public was invited to speak on what projects they would want for the capital- improvement plan over the next five years.

No money has yet been allocated to the plan but the “wish list” is needed if the town has the opportunity to come into some stimulus money, said council member Toni Biancardi, which would be used to match the costs for the projects.

Town Engineer Hesham Khalil said there has been no cap given so far on what the town can spend and said there were no exceptions to what they could create for the list of projects.

The project proposals will have to be weighed on sixteen different sets of criteria such as aesthetic value, economic impact, environmental impact, social impact, sustainability, and public health and safety.

The capital-investment projects can be designated to five town departments: Fire/Police department, street department, storm and sanitary department, parks department, and a “general” category.

Khalil said he has had three requests from Burns Harbor residents. One was for a community swimming pool or water recreation. Another request was to build a new town hall as well as a new police and fire station. A request was also made to put in sidewalks around the town roads and on Haglund Rd where the sidewalks could connect to the park.

Biancardi also offered the idea of building a new lift station.

Gene Weibel said part of the list should be cleaning up the Little Calumet River that “stinks of dead fish.”

Town Council member Cliff Fleming said he could see that possibly being a regional project since many communities like Valparaiso and Portage are connected to the waterways that flow into the river.

Weibel also requested projects to help with street drainage. Council member James McGee said it was possible to add berms and ditches.

Rick Hummel said he liked the idea of road improvement in general and thought the plans should also include the expansion of the town hall and for the town purchase of land that could be built on if the space is needed in the next ten years.

Other ideas included widening town roads and increasing connectivity.

McGee and Weibel suggested ideas for recreation, such as adding soccer or baseball fields and a canoe or kayak system on the river.

Khalil said the town could include a “monument for attraction,” such as a statue or a piece of art that could bring some identity to the town.

Fleming said he would like the town to have its own post office and its own zip code. He said there are towns with populations as low as 82 that are able to have their own post offices.

“Other people have zip codes. Why can’t we?” said Fleming, saying the zip code could give the town a better identity.

Biancardi said infrastructure should be a focus as the town will need to draw in people from outside the town as well as local residents.

From the audience, Bob Poparad said he would like to see the town get its own South Shore train station, although that might take some doing since the town is a short distance away from the Ogden Dunes and Dunes State Park stops.

Poparad earlier in the meeting warned the council about being careful how it sets up its tax-increment financing or TIF districts referring to the previous night’s redevelopment commission meeting, saying that if they use all the TIF funds captured for the capital improvement projects, tax rates for the town will go up as has been seen in Valparaiso.

Poparad also serves as the first district representative on the Porter County Council.

McGee said they have not been told what the repercussions are for using TIF funds but will be discussing it with financial advisors.

McGee said the council will still be taking ideas from town residents and encouraged the public to contact them with ideas.

Khalil said he will present the list at the town’s redevelopment commission meeting in August and report back at the next council meeting where they will discuss setting up a Request for Proposals for a financial advisor.

Posted 7/22/2010